Category: linux

I recently installed Ubuntu 9.10 x64 on one of my workstations here at home. It has a fairly simple task, but the machine needs to be available over VNC.

Previously, I had used an older, headless box with Xubuntu to do …

Since Ubuntu was giving me the finger on this old iBook, I decided to try a different distribution. I’ve heard about and been meaning to try OpenSUSE for a while now. Given it supports my vintage PowerPC, I figured it was worth a try.

The first issue I encountered with OpenSUSE 11.1 was that I needed a DVD to do the installation! Since my iBook only has a CD drive, I thought I might be out. However, they have a “mini CD” that downloads everything off the Internet.

The instructions for network installation weren’t very specific, but I was able to figure out what choices to make. The installation process, after the initial load of the installer, was graphical and fairly straightforward. A high-speed Internet connection is definitely recommended since pretty much everything is downloaded–2.5 gigabytes of data!

Or so I thought. I should tell you something at this point that I did something that complicated matters a bit.

A couple years ago, I tried installing Ubuntu on an old Apple iBook G3 I have with only moderate results, as shown in this YouTube video:

While I know that Adobe Flash and AIR won’t ever be supported on the PowerPC chips that run in a lot of the older Macs, the size of this iBook puts it real close to the “netbook” category. Since I don’t see myself spending $400-$500 on a new computer anytime soon, why not try and repurpose one I already have?

My expectations for this PowerPC G3 with 576mb of RAM and 10gb of disk aren’t high. I just want something with a reasonable keyboard that has WiFi and runs a web browser. It’s got all that and the current versions of Ubuntu (8.10 as I write this) will support the wireless (which it didn’t back in 6.06, which was when I took this video), at least in theory. Why not give it a try? Details after the jump.

If you’re a Mac or Linux person and you want to run Windows apps without a Windows license, then the folks at Codeweavers have a deal for you. Today–and today only–until midnight GMT-5, you can get your own, …

I’ve been waiting for this for a while now. SightSpeed is announcing today that they are making a Linux version of their video conferencing application available for Linux–specifically pre-installed on Dell’s …

Image via Wikipedia

For the second day in a row, my internal email at Nokia causes me to drop what I’m …

To the average person, the number of computers in my home is appalling. There are three computers downstairs alone, one for the …

I never thought the question of whether to use GNOME or KDE on my Linux desktop would be considered a dogfood question, but now with the announcement that my employer …

I want to be clear: I’m talking about regular DVDs, not Blueray or HD. I’m also not talking about making copies for my friends, or other people on the Internet. I’m talking …

Last week at Evening With S60, I did get to see a Nokia N810 very briefly. Major differences between my N800 and this device:

Slide-out keyboard (N800 has no keyboard)
Camera isn’t on a …